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SOMERVILLE - A Somerville rap artist known as skinnyfromthe9, along with his father, brother and a Newark man are facing charges in the kidnapping and aggravated assault of 21-year-old borough man.

David Alex Villegas, 22; his father, David Andres Villegas, 42; his brother, Joshua Villegas, 20, all of Somerville, and Troy Warren, 28, of Newark, were arrested, according to Somerset County Prosecutor Michael H. Robertson and Somerville Police Chief Dennis Manning.

David Alex Villegas is also known as rap artist Skinnyfromthe9, the prosecutor's office confirmed. According to published reports he was born in Florida and grew up in New Jersey. Villegas has more than 500,000 Instagram followers. Earlier this year, nj.com obtained video showing the rapper and his associates beating a man in a store, according to the video.

David Villegas, 42(Photo: ~Courtesy of Somerset County Prosecutor's Office)

According to Robertson, around 2:03 p.m. Thursday, Somerset County Communications received a 911 call report the incident. Somerville police patrol units were dispatched to the Villegas home on Davenport Street. located two blocks from Somerville High School. Police located the victim at the home and took him to Somerville Police headquarters for further investigation.

An investigation indicated the victim was contacted by Joshua and David Villegas on Thursday and asked to accompany them on a trip. The victim agreed and was picked up in a vehicle occupied by the three Villegas men and Warren.

As the vehicle began driving off, David Villegas, 22, grabbed the victim's cell phone and allegedly began punching him with a closed fist in the stomach. The victim told police he was driven around for about an hour and continuously beaten by Warren while the other three occupants yelled profanities at him and also struck him.

Robertson said the Villegas family members and Warren eventually drove to Davenport Street where David Andres Villegas, and his two sons live. The four men remained parked in the driveway while Warren allegedly continued to beat the victim, officials said.

Robertson said members of the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit and the Organized Crime and Narcotics Task Force Tactical Narcotics Team responded to assist Somerville police in the investigation and executed search warrants on the suspected vehicle used during the kidnapping and at the Villegas' home.

The four men were transported to the Somerset County Jail here to await detention hearings.

Troy Warren(Photo: ~Courtesy of Somerset County Prosecutor's Office)

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact the Somerset County Prosecutors Office Major Crimes Unit at 908- 231-7100 or the Somerville Police Department at 908-725-0331 or via the STOPit app.

The STOPit app allows citizens to provide anonymous reports including videos and photos. STOPit can be downloaded to your smart phone for free at the Google Play Store or Apple App Store, access code: SOMERSETNJ. Information can also be provided through the Somerset County Crime Stoppers’ Tip Line at 1-888-577-TIPS (8477) or online at www.888577tips.org or at www.scpo.net and click on either “Crime Stoppers” or “TIPS HOTLINE”. All anonymous Crime Stopper tips will be kept confidential.

I was the kid in high school that walked in the hallways at passing time all by myself. Nobody took my music serious I wasn’t invited anywhere & made fun of by everyone ... NOW I GOT LABELS FLYING ME OUT & EVERYONE WANTING TO SIGN THE KID